Large sheet handling using a flatbed cart

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for handling a sheet of substrate media in a marking assembly. The apparatus includes a rail support track, a first marking zone and a first platen cart. The rail support track forms a closed path. The first marking zone marks a sheet of substrate media. Also, the first platen cart moves along the rail support track. The first platen cart recirculating around the closed path. The first platen cart conveying the sheet of substrate media in a process direction along at least a portion of the closed path through the first marking zone.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus handling a sheet of substrate media in a marking assembly, the apparatus comprising:
 a rail support track forming a closed path, the rail support track including at least one alternate route within the closed path; 
 a first marking zone for marking a sheet of substrate media having dimensions of at least forty inches by sixty inches, a portion of the closed path extending through the first marking zone and the alternate route extending parallel to the portion of the closed path through the first marking zone, the first marking zone including a printing assembly moveable in a cross-process direction across the portion of the closed path extending through the first marking zone; and 
 a first platen cart moveable along the rail support track, the first platen cart recirculating around the closed path and selectively moveable along the at least one alternate route, the first platen cart conveying the sheet of substrate media in a process direction along at least the portion of the closed path through the first marking zone, the printing assembly marking the sheet with no more than a single cross-process direction pass, 
 wherein the rail support track further includes at least one lateral shuttle section for moving the first platen cart between parallel sections of the closed path and the at least one alternate route, said lateral shuttle section being a linear section extending in a straight direction, perpendicular to said parallel sections of the closed path. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the rail support track includes modular track sections formed as reconfigurable units for changing the closed path. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second platen cart moveable along the rail support track, the second platen cart moveable separate and apart from the first platen cart. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second marking zone for marking the sheet of substrate media, the first platen cart conveying the sheet of substrate media along at least a portion of the closed path through the second marking zone. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the printing assembly is selectively one of the following: an electrostatic printing assembly, a xerographic printing assembly, a liquid ink printing assembly, and a solid ink printing assembly. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the closed path comprises exactly three parallel straight rail sections and the at least one lateral shuttle section comprises exactly two rail support track sections extending at opposed ends of the three parallel straight sections. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lateral shuttle section further includes at least one supplemental translation cart, said supplemental translation cart having an upper portion oriented in the same direction as the section of the closed path extending through the first marking zone and a lower portion to convey the supplemental translation cart along the at least one lateral shuttle section. 
     
     
       8. A method of handling sheets of substrate media in a marking assembly, the method comprising:
 positioning a first sheet of substrate media having dimensions of at least forty inches by sixty inches on a first platen cart, the first platen cart being disposed in a loading zone of a rail support track forming a closed path having at least two parallel straight sections, the first platen cart moveable in a process direction around the closed path returning the first platen cart to the loading zone, the rail support track further including at least one alternate route within the closed path extending parallel to the said at least two parallel straight sections; 
 moving the first platen cart in the process direction along the closed path to a first marking zone, the first platen cart conveying the first sheet of substrate media to the first marking zone, the first marking zone including a printing assembly moveable in a cross-process direction across the portion of the closed path extending through the first marking zone; 
 marking the sheet of substrate media in the first marking zone with no more than a single cross-process direction pass; 
 removing the sheet of substrate media from the first platen cart; 
 moving the first platen cart further in the process direction along the closed path at least until the first platen cart reaches the loading zone; and 
 the first platen cart further conveying the first sheet of substrate media laterally between the at least two parallel straight sections of the closed path and the at least one alternate route via at least one lateral shuttle section, the lateral shuttle section being a linear of rail support track extending in a straight direction perpendicular to said parallel straight sections and said alternate route. 
 
     
     
       9. The method as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 positioning a second sheet of substrate media on the first platen cart in the loading zone; and 
 moving the first platen cart in the process direction along the at least one alternate route within the closed path. 
 
     
     
       10. The method as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the printing assembly is an inkjet assembly. 
     
     
       11. The method as defined in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 positioning a third sheet of substrate media on a second platen cart while the second platen cart is disposed in the loading zone and the first platen cart is disposed outside the loading zone, the second platen cart moveable in the process direction around the closed path returning the second platen cart to the loading zone. 
 
     
     
       12. The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the first platen cart is conveyed along a different path from that of the second platen cart. 
     
     
       13. The method as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 moving the first platen cart in the process direction along the closed path to a second marking zone, the first platen cart conveying the first sheet of substrate media to the second marking zone; and 
 marking the sheet of substrate media in the second marking zone. 
 
     
     
       14. The method as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the positioning of the first sheet of substrate media on the first platen cart is performed by an automated robotic arm, the automated robotic arm receiving the sheet from off the first platen cart. 
     
     
       15. The method as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first platen cart moves on wheels at least a portion of the closed path.